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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Hooper to Alexander Martin
Hooper, William, 1742-1790
June 28, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 347-348

FROM HON. WILL HOOPER TO GOV. MARTIN.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Wilmington, June 28th, 1782.

Dear Sir:

Amongst others, whom in consequence of your proclamation, the Military authority of this Country has ordered to hold themselves in readiness to depart the State at a moment’s notice, is Miss Kitty Cobham, a child of seven or eight years old and a daughter of your old friend, Doctor Cobham.

Doctor Cobham, upon his intermarriage with his late wife, settled upon her all the estate which she brought him with the remainder to himself. Upon the death of his wife, possessed of the absolute interest in order to guard against casualties and make a certain provision for this child, he made over the same estate to Mr. Will Hill, in trust for his daughter; the profits, until she married or arrived at the age of eighteen, to be applied to her maintenance and

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education, and upon either of these contingencies taking place, the absolute interest of the whole to vest in her.

This deed I have now in my possession. It is dated March 31st, 1777, and I fully believe was made bona fide without fraud or Collusion.

Under these circumstances I am sure that the Governor and Council never intended to comprehend this innocent within the penalties held forth by their proclamation. By no refinement can she be considered an aggressor against the State, and it would be a policy not more novel than inhuman to seize and sequester an estate vested in the daughter because her father abandoned the Country.

Sure, I am that the feelings of your heart revolt at the idea, and I am too sensible of the understanding of your Council to believe that they do not entertain similar sentiments to yours.

I beg leave to request a line from you, backed with such marks of authority that the Military may be satisfied that Miss Cobham is not comprehended in the meaning of your proclamation, and that they may be induced to desist from any further proceedings against her.

I am,
With much Respect,
Your Excellency’s
Most Obedient,
Humble Servant,
WILL HOOPER.